Rejected, Abused, I Fall for the Forbidden Alpha (by Riley Scott) novel Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Raven POV

The look on Jackson’s face is comical. He makes a strangled sound, turning slowly as though in slow motion, his hand trembling as he puts his glass down. The woman’s smile is bright, her eyes twinkling with undisguised humour. I see him begin to shake as he stands up, embracing the woman with a fierceness quite unlike him.

“Aeress,” he murmured thickly as she smiled and patted his back, “do you have any idea how much I’ve waited for this moment?” he exclaimed, his voice thick with emotion.

“I know,” her voice is low, “and you won’t believe how much it hurt to leave you, to pursue my dreams while left you behind. If you had come with me…” she hiccups and steps back, grabbing Jackson’s hand and squeezing them, “but you couldn’t because I made my brother a promise and I kept it, although it killed me slowly inside.

Her brother? I stare at her, not quite comprehending her words. She glances over Jackson’s shoulder and sees me, her lips curving into a gentle smile.

“Who is your guest, Jackson. I don’t think I’ve seen her before?”

Jackson turns, putting an arm over Aeress’s shoulder and beams at me. “This is the girl I’ve been telling you about,” he said smugly as her smile grew and her body relaxed, “this is Raven.”

She squeals, taking me aback. She’s fast, even in heels, and as I stand up, she hugs me tightly. “You saved my Jackson,” she breathed, “he told me everything. I can never thank you enough,” she cried, stepping back and sweeping her eyes over me, “and you’re so much more beautiful than he let on” she said dramatically, pretending to shoot Jackson a disgruntled look as she sheepishly ran a hand through his hair and mussed it up.

“You must be the woman Jackson said was special to him,” I said warmly as she pulled out a chair and sat beside myself and Jackson, nodding excitedly at me. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. I owe Jackson a lot for being so welcoming and being a friend when I needed it the most.”

“Isn’t he great?” Aeress gushed as Jackson puffed out his chest, “he’s always been the kind of guy to extend a hand in friendship but only to special people. I was jealous when I saw him with you but now that I know who you are,” she almost bounced up and down on her chair, “I can tell we’re going to be great friends,” she exclaimed.

It was impossible to dislike this woman. She was bursting with vitality. She snuck a pastry off of Jackson’s plate and began to nibble on it as he stared at her in pretend outrage. They were so cute together.

“So where is this annoying brother of mine?” she asked between bites.

“Your brother?” I can’t keep the curiosity from my voice.

“You didn’t tell her?” Aeress looks annoyed at Jackson, who hastily shakes his head.

“Hades. The royal pain in the ass who seldom smiles,” she grumbled, “my big brother and constant pest.’

I giggle as she finishes the pastry. She sounds exactly like a younger sister. Looking at her, I would have never guessed she and Hades were related; they looked so different. Just like Marissa and me.

“We’re half-siblings,” she offers, reading my mind, “same fathers, different mothers.”

“Oh,” I said weakly, “you don’t have to explain to me.”

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